Differences Between of Sheep and Goat

Differences Between of Sheep and Goat

• Position of India in the  World’s Total Population                3^th                           2^st
• Out of total livestock  Contributed (%)             13. 8                                         27.8

B     Physical characteristics

1. Reproductive Behaviour:

Grazing habit of Sheep and Goat

A.) Grazing habit of sheep:

No other class of animals is so well adapted to the utilization of maximum quantities of pasture as sheep. Although cattle compete with sheep for many of the same grazing areas sheep are unique in their marked preference for short, fine forages and flocking instinct.

Sheep cannot thrive on one pasture continuously. They graze close to the ground.   They do not need tall grown grasses, but need short grasses for grazing. They thrive very well on stubbles of kharif crops in winter and byproducts left after harvesting of agricultural crops. Sheep possess a unique ability to survive on natural grasses, shrubs and farm waste products like residues of the field crops. With their small muzzles and split upper lips, they can nibble tiny blades of vegetation which cannot be eaten by bigger animals. They are called as natural weed killers.

In traditional sheep rearing, practically very little or no supplementary feeding is provided to sheep. They have been maintained for efficient production through maximum output of pasture and natural lands. However, some supplementation of concentrate feed containing some grains and mostly agro industrial byproducts and conserved fodders may be necessary for increasing the mutton production.

Inadequate availability of feeds and forages due to reduction in area and deterioration of grazing lands, grazing of sheep is becoming a limiting factor.   This has been the compelling reason for large scale migration of sheep for the sake of grazing.

The flock should graze on light soils in the morning and the fallows of heavier soils in the afternoon. During monsoon, flocks must move on to well – drained area of rainfall. The winter dew on the grass is not healthy for sheep. Pods of acacia tree, wherever available are topped and fed as a part of concentrate feed. Sheep are not selective in its feeding habits, and they will eat whatever they get but it should be free from off flavour. They do not relish fodder like sorghum, maize silage or straws.

B)  Grazing habits of goat:

By means of their mobile upper lips and very prehensile tongues goats are able to graze on very short grasses and browse on foliage not normally eaten by other domestic animals.   Goats are very good climbers in addition to their browsing habit. They have selective feeding habit, accepting a wide variety of feed. Goats have higher tolerance for bitter taste than sheep. They consume certain species of grasses and tree leaves at definite stage of maturity and reject at mature stage. Goat can thrive on herbs when there is sparse food supply. They are browse forms an important part of the diet of goats.   It is efficient in digesting the crude fibre part of the feed. Goat feed should be of tree leaves, shrubs and agro-byproducts after harvested crops.

For the size of goat it can consume substantially more feed than either cow or sheep. Goat do not graze close to the ground as like as sheep. They are fond of leguminous fodders. Goats have special mouth parts and are able to extract nutrition from the poorest of the waste land vegetation. They are browsing and thrive in the areas richer in bushy plants. They like to stand on their hind limbs and pluck the tender leafy twigs of herbs, shrubs and small leaves.

Out of all the domestic animals, goats have the wide range of adaptions. No other animal bas been known to withstand the vagaries of the harsh environments as goats to any extremes. The early domestication process (goat is considered to be one of the first animal domesticated by man) along with certain definite physiological characteristics are perhaps responsible for its better adaptability. The goat can eat feeds which normally are not consumed by cattle or sheep.

Goats are consume wide variety of feeds. They are contrary to popular opinion, fastidious in their feeding habits.   Feed that is acceptable to one goat is some times not acceptable to another goat. They like fresh feeds and usually refuse feeds which have been soiled by other animals. Goats can distinguish between bitter, sweet, salty and sour taste and show a higher tolerance for bitter taste than cattle.    They like variety in their feed and do not thrive well when kept on a single type of feed for longer period. The feeding habits of grazing goats vary not only with the ecology but also with the season of the year in same locality.

Goat can take 80% of total intake as browse however, where browse is not available, goats are quite capable of utilizing grasses and other crop residue much as cereal straws and stovers.

What type of feed does goat like?

In the tropics areas, goats commonly feed on tree leaves particularly in the humid region. Farmers provide topped tree leaves in addition to grazing. This common management practice is advantageous because it adds variety to the diet and helps to meet the nutrient requirements for maintenance and production. In rural areas this practice is followed on large scale. When pastures are grown, legumes should also be included to increase the nutritive value of the forage. The important legumes crops which can be grown and fed to the goats in tropics include stylo, siratro, berseem, Lucerne etc. Variety of grasses can be grown. In general goats prefer less coarse grasses such as Guinea grass than coarse type (elephant grass).

THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MUTTON, LAMB AND GOAT MEAT

We all love eating. There are no if’s or buts to that statement. Our love for food is so outreaching that we often don’t even know the contents of our food. Take for example two globally popular meat dishes, lamb and mutton. We know for a fact that they are two different types of meat, but how many of us really know which one comes from where? Well, lamb comes from sheep, while mutton comes from goat, right? Wrong. 

The truth is that both lamb and mutton are meats obtained from sheep.The Oxford dictionary defines lamb as ‘a young sheep’, or ‘meat from a young sheep’, while mutton is defined as ‘meat from a fully grown sheep’. Meat from a sheep between the ages of one month and one year is served as lamb, while sheep older that one year is served as mutton.

People, especially in India, have often associated lamb with meat from sheep, and mutton with meat from goat. Meat from goat is actually called chevon. However, don’t beat yourself up over being mistaken about the jargon of meat, as things work a little differently in India. Here, the word mutton is used interchangeably between sheep and goat, but since Indians mostly consume goat, it is the widely accepted term for goat meat. Since we hardly eat sheep, you will seldom be given meat from a sheep if you walk into a butcher’s shop and ask for mutton. Therefore it is not completely wrong to refer to goat meat as mutton.

Most of the differences between lamb and mutton stem from the age of the animal. Now that we are clear about the vernaculars, let’s learn about some other basic differences between lamb and mutton.

Flavour

Lamb: mild and delicate

Mutton: rich and bold

Colour

Lamb: tender pink to pale red

Mutton: deep red

Texture

Lamb: tender

Mutton: firm

Cooking methods

There are three popular methods used for cooking lamb – grilling, braising, and roasting. Grilling is preparing the meat over hot coal, and is most suitable for making burgers or lamb chops. In braising, the meat is first browned in fat and then put in a covered utensil with a small amount of liquid. It can be done on a stove or oven. This method is most suitable for tougher cuts like the shoulder. Roasting is cooking the meat uncovered, which makes the outside of the meat brown and the interior moist. This method is most suitable for tender cuts like the rack of the leg.

The most popular method to prepare mutton is to slow cook, or stew it. Since mutton is a tougher meat with more fat, slow cooking methods like stew tenderizes the meat and brings out the flavour.

Which one is healthier?

Mutton and lamb are highly nutritious, with both providing a high amount of protein. However, mutton contains a higher fat content as compared to lamb. Consuming high fat foods regularly can be detrimental as it builds up cholesterol in the arteries which can lead to heart diseases. Although mutton is a more popular dish than lamb because of its preferred strong flavour, lamb is a healthier choice, although both should be consumed in moderation for optimum health.

Compiled  & Shared by- Team, LITD (Livestock Institute of Training & Development)

 Image-Courtesy-Google

 Reference-On Request.

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